Liquid flow control device



NOV- 20, 1951 v. R. PAwELsKY ETAL LIQUID FLOW CONTROL' DEVICE 5SheelS-Sheet l Filed Nov. l, 1946 a7 x 22 9,. l

INVENTOR5 VERNON E'. PAM/ELSKY Lau/aps: l/. MsC/:QTY //LL/Aqlq AZR).B/ERMAN/v oHN ULAK ATTORNEY V. R. PAWELSKY ETAL LIQUID FLOW CONTROLDEVICE l Nov. 20, 1951 s sheets-'sheet 2 Filed NOV. l. 1946 PatentedNov. 20, 1951 'Vernon R. Pawelsky, Lourdes V. McCarty, William A.Biermanmand John T. Dulak, Milwaukee County, Wis., assignors to A PControls Corporation, a corporation ofrWisconsn Application November 1,1946, Serial Nof707,086

olims. (ci. 137-68) Another object of the invention is to proyide aliquid flow control device for use on vehicles and in which all of themoving elements of the device are so guided as to be unaffected by theposition of the vehicles and the shocks and vibrations to which thevehicles may be subjected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a liquid flow controldevice of the constant level type in which entrance of foreign materialinto the device and particularly material which is buoyant in theliquid, cannot affect the operation of the device. l

AnotherV vobject of the invention is to provide a liquid flow controldevice of the constant level type which may be readily disassembled intoa number of sub-assemblies and re-assembled without disturbing thevarious adjustments and positions required for proper operation of thedevice.

Another object of the invention is to provide a liquid flow controldevice in which the various sub-assemblies thereof are so mounted in thecasing as to allow ready access particularly to the outow valve and tothe means for controlling the inflow valve, Without disturbing theadjustments of such sub-assemblies themselves or their co-action,

A further object of the invention is to provide a liquid flow controldevice in which both the inlet and outlet valve are controlled by asingle element under given conditions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a liquid flow controldevice which is operable either manually or automatically and in whichthe manual control means is immediately effective if the automaticcontrol means fail in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a liquid flow controldevice of the constant level type particularly for use on vehicles ofany character and capable of operation either manually or automaticallyand in which the automatically operable means are readily locked in suchposition as to avoid interference with the action of the manuallyoperable means.

And a further object of the invention is to pro vide a liquid flowcontrol device of the constant level type which is manually operable andmay be made automatically responsive to a condition remote from thedevice and in which the device is easily adjusted to compensate fordifferences between the remote condition and a similar conditionadjacent the device.

Objects and advantages, other than those above set forth, will beapparent from the following description when read in connection with theaccompanying drawing, in which: y

Fig. l is a top plan view of the device with the cover plates removedtherefrom; y

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view of the device taken on theplane of the line lI-II of Fig. 1, but showing some portions of thedevice in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the plane ofline Ill-III of Fig. 1 but omitting some parts for clarity inillustration;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the plane of lin-eIV-IV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross vsectional view on an enlarged scale and onsubstantially a central plane through the valve controlling the flow ofliquid into the device;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on substantially a central plane ofcontrol adjusting and control movement transmitting means in the device:

Fig. 7 is an isometric projection of portions of the control movementtransmitting means;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of a bracket on Which the control movementtransmitting means are mounted;

Fig, 9 is an elevation with parts in vertical section and on an enlargedscale, of the valve controlling the discharge of liquid from the device;

Fig. i0 is a top plan view of a portion of means for automaticallycontrolling the present device;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the structure illustrated in Figs. 10 and12;

Fig. 12 is a cross sectional view taken on the plane of line XII- XII ofFig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a cross sectional view taken onthe plane of line XIII-XIII ofFig. 10; and,

Fig. 14 is a diagram illustrating the connections of the electricallyenergized portion of the device.

Generally, the device com-prises a casing defining a chamber into whichthe flow of a liquid, such as fuel oil is controlled by an inlet valveurged into open position by a spring and having the degree of openingthereof controlled by a float acting on the valve to maintain asubstantially constant liquid level in the casing. A discharge or outletvalve is located substantially at the geometrical center of thechamberwith a metering slot at the center of gravity of the float. and

is biased toward yopen position by a spring. The outlet valve issurrounded by a sleeve spaced therefrom whereby liquid entering thevalve slot is taken from the liquid body only in a region ab'ove thebottom of the chamber and beneath the surface of the liquid. The degreeof opening of the outlet valve slot is controlled by means divided intoa plurality of separate sub-assemblies and provided with a plurality ofadjustments for controlling the action and for limiting the actionthereof on both of the valves. The control means is readily swung to oneend of the casing or is completely removable from the structure withoutinterference with any of the adjustments of such means. A single elementin the control movement transmitting means is effective to controlv both`the opening of the outlet valve and to limit the degree of opening ofthe inlet valve under given conditions. The device is provided withmeans for manually or automatically controlling the operation thereofand the manually operable means are immediately effective if theautomatic means fail in operation. A special adjustment is provided forvarying outlet valve opening if the device is to be responsive to acondition remote therefrom. All of the moving parts are guided on thecasing and so placed with relation to each other that their movementswill be unaffected by the position of the vehicle or by the shocks andvibrations to which the vehicle may be subjected.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the reference numeral I5generally designates a casing which, in co-action with a cover plate orplates I5, defines a. chamber in which the major portion of theremaining elements of the present device is enclosed. 'I'he casing has apassage I'I in the wall thereof for the flow of a liquid such as fueloil, from a suitable source, the passage II having an enlarged portionreceiving a well known type of strainer I8 retained in the passage by acap nut I9 and readily removable and replaceable in the inlet passage. Ahollow boss is formed on the inlet passage wall and extends into thechamber for threadedly receiving a valve casing 23 in which a needletype of valve 24 is reciprocable. The conical surface forming the pointof valve 24 may seat on an internal shoulder in the valve casing andcontrols the flow of oil from the inlet passage vthrough an aperture 25in the valve casing and into the casing I5. The portion of the valve 24,extending beyond the valve casing 23 has fixed thereon a sleeve 26 witha flange 2'I at one end on which is placed a washer 28 serving as a seatfor one end of each of two compression springs 29 and30. The spring 29rests at one end on an external flange 3i on the valve casing 23 andre-acts against such flange to tend to lift and open the inlet valve 24.A nut 32 with a square flange 33 is threaded on the sleeve 26 and isheld in any desired position by the spring 30, acting between the seat.28 and the nut. A connector 35 of generally U-shape is formed With ahole in the bend of the U and with the material of the bend bent intoV-shape to provide edges 31 bearing on the nut flange 33 when theconnector is placed in an inverted position on the nut as shown. Thelegs of the connector are formed with projections or feet 38 extendinglaterally therefrom.

A bracket 4I (see Fig. 8) is fixed in the casing I5 to provide aplurality of pairs of ears 4 2 and 43 for severally receivingpivots andhas a lug 44 formed from one side of the main body thereof. A pin 45 isinsertable through the pivot ears 42 to support a yoke having roundedprojections 4'I therefrom to bear on the feet Il of the connector 36.-The yoke is 'generally U-shaped and the ends thereof are connected byan arcuate bar 48 which is stiiiiy resilient to return the yoke ends toa given spacing after spreading to receive pivots 5I extending from themid-points of the sides of a substantially rectangular float 52 whichhas an opening 53 substantially centrally therethrough. It will be notedthat the bar vis spaced from and remains out of contact with the floatat all times so that the resilience of the bar is always effective andsoA that bar action does not affect the pivoting of the float in theyoke.

Discharge of the liquid from the device is controlled by an outlet valvein the chamber and connecting with an outlet passage 55 through the wallof the casing I5. The outlet valve comprises a substantially tubularcasing 51 suitably xed in the outlet passage and adapted to receive agenerally tubular valve 58 having a reduced size end to provide ashoulder seating on another shoulder formed in the interior of the valvecasing. A hole 59 is providedthrough the wall of the valve casingimmediately above the shoulder therein and intermediate the bottom ofthe chamber and the predetermined level of the liquid therein and is theonly aperture for admitting liquid into the outlet valve casing. Thereduced end of the outlet valve 5l has a slot formed therein by whichthe amount of liquid discharged through the valve may be accuratelymetered. A portion of the outlet valve 55 extends beyond the valvecasing 51 and has mounted thereon a member 5I serving as a seat for oneend of a compression spring 52 urging the valve toward open or unseatedposition. The spring seat member is formed with a plurality of ngers 63and 64 for the several purposes of enclosing and guiding spring movementand of engaging a slot in the inlet valve casing 51 to limit themovement of the outlet valve in the opening direction and to preventrotation of the valve. The outlet valve casing is so formed and placedthat the hole 59 therein is always below the surface of the liquidregardless of the movement of the vehicle on which the device is mountedand the slot is at the center of gravity of the float and alignable withhole 55.

A plurality of posts 68 extend from the bottom of the casing I5 outsidethe valve casing 51 to support the lower end of a sleeve 69 in spacedrelation to the bottom of the casing I5. The sleeve is of such diameteras to define a material space between the valve casing and the sleeve'and the spaced relationship at the upper end of the sleeve ismaintained by lugs 'il struck inwardly from the upper edge thereof. Lugs'Il are also struck outwardly from the sleeve adjacent the lower endthereof to serve as a seat for one end of the valve spring 52. Hence,means are provided for allowing liquid flow into the outlet valve casingonly by way of a given path and from below the surface of the liquid inthe device and above the bottom thereof, thus preventing interferencewith the outlet valve by any foreign material in the liquid andparticularly by material floating on the liquid surface. Such meansinclude the sleeve and the various elements described for holding thesleeve in spaced relation with the outlet valve casing.

alf-75.569

constant level, by the float acting on the valve as long as such floatand valve function properly and that the over-flow is utilized only uponfailure of functioning of the oat and valve and of other means forclosing the valve as described l below. l

The degree of opening of the outlet valve is controlled by eithermanuallyor automatically actuated means acting on a single movementtransmitting means which (see Fig. 7 particularly) includes a plate 18which is pivotally mounted on a pin 19 through bracket ears 43 which areadjacent one end of the casing I and the other end of the plate extendsadjacent the other end of the casing and over both the inlet and outletvalves. The plate has an arm 80 with a cupped end off-set from one sideof the main body of the plate and adapted to be acted upon by theautomatic controls of Figs. 10-14 described hereinafter. An off-set ear8| at the free end of the plate is threaded to receive a -screw 82 heldin adjusted position by a spring 83 for a purpose which will appearhereinafter. A leaf spring 85 is iixed at the free end of the plate 18Aand extends longitudinally of the plate over both the valves. The leafspring tends to flex upwardly against plate 18 and carries a Ymember 86having a V-shaped end bearing on the outlet valve while the other end ofthe mem- -ber is threadedly engaged by a screw 81 extending through asleeve 88 bearing on the spring. Adjustment of the screw 81 exes thespring 85 to move the free end thereof away from the plate 18 and towardthe inlet valve to secure simultaneous closing of both valves undercertain conditions. A bimetal 89 is iixed, at one end, on the free endof the plate 18 and extends between the spring 85 and the outlet valveto vary the rate of opening of the valve dependent on ambienttemperature and therefore to compensate for variations in liquidviscosity.

A second plate 92 is pivotally mounted on the Apin 19 and when thedevice is in use, is fixed at manual control means to be described.'I'he position of the lever 94 is adjustable by means :of a screw 96seating .on the plate 92 and -threadedly engaging the lever adjacent itsfree .end to limit the degree of closing of the outlel Ivalve and hencex the minimum discharge o1 liquid from the device. The free end of thelever 94 extends adjacent the ear 8| of the'flrst plate 18 and isengageable by the end of the screw 82.

The manual control means for the device includes a. tubular housing 99mounted on the second plate 92 to receive a portion of a hand knob I 00and various elements associated therewith. The knob has fixed -therein astud |0| engageable by way of the spring 85 with the outlet valve andbears a cam |02 riding on the abutment 95. The knob and cam are urgedtoward the abutment by a compression spring |03 seating be- 6 tween. theflanged end of housing 98 and a -washer .|04 flxed on the end of theknob. The cam .|02 is a resilient spiral strip fixed'onthe knob at oneend and is flexed by a screw |05 threaded intothe knob and bearing onthe cam to adjust the degree of curvature of the cam and hence the rateof movement of the stud upon rotation of the knob. Adjustment oi'the'screwA thus varies the rate of opening of the outlet valve. Thedegree of opening of the outlet valve .is limited by a screw |06threaded into the sec- 1 ond plate 92 to limit upward movement of plateThus rotation of the knob in the valve opening direction allows theoutlet valve spring to move the valve upwardly in the opening directionup to the limit determined by screw |00. When the knob is rotated toclose the valve, the cam action lowers pin |0I against spring 85 andlever 18, spring and bimetal 89 move down, closing the valve, until setscrew 82 strikes the end of lever 94. Continued closing rotation causesa rapid blow on spring 85 by pin |0| and, since lever 18 is now huntedby screw 82 abutting lever 94, the movement pushes spring v85 down awayfrom lever 18 so that the free end of the spring strikes the inlet valvewhile the V-shaped end of member 86 simultaneously strikes the outletvalve, thus closing both valves simultaneously.

If the device is to be automatically controlled as by the use of thewell known type of thermostat |01 controlling the opening and closing ofan electriccircuit |08 connected by a transformer |09 with a source ofelectric current as is well known and shown diagrammatically only inFig.

. 14, an electrically energized heat motor is mounted on .the coverplate. Such heat motor comprises a housing of electrical insulating andheat resistive material in which is fixed one end of abimetal whichwarps in response to energization of heater ||2 connected in thethermostat circuit by way of the terminals H3. A pin |I4 is mounted inswiveling relation in the free end of the bimetal for engagement withthe cupped surface of the plate ear 80. Closure oi the electric circuitby the thermostat energizel the heater which warps the bimetal upwardlyand allowsV the spring 62 to open the outlet valve. It will beunderstood that the heat motor, when unenergized, closes-the outletvalve to its limit position for a minimum discharge. Hence, ifautomaticv control of the device is not desired, means. must be providedto move and hold the heat motor out of the valve closing position. Ahandle ||6 is accordingly 'mounted in a boss ||1 on the housing |I0 andextends into position for engagement with the bimental to move thebimetal into an ineffective position. The boss |1 is notched as at I'|8to receive a portion of the handle when the heat motor is to -beoperative and to allow the handle to ride out of the notch .on to theend of the boss when the heat motor isA to beinoperative.

permit such movement of the plate 'Il relative v to the plate 92 as willgive that opening oi' the outlet valve required to produce a desiredtemperature about the thermostat regardless oi' the temperature aboutthe now control device itself. It will be seen from the abovedescription that the present structure provides means for limiting theregion from which and the path by which liquid is allowed to iiow to theoutlet valve thereby preventing entry into the valve oi foreign materialeither sinking to the bottom oi' the casing or iloating on the surfaceof the liquid. The means controlling the opening of the outlet valve aredivided into a number of sub-assemblies mounted on a plurality of plateswhich, without changing any of the adjustments thereof. may be pivotedto positions permitting accessto the several valves.` Such control meansincludes control motion transmitting means which may be adjusted foreffecting closure of either the outlet valve only or or both valves` Andiinally. the device is provided with means for readily adapting thedevice to operation by an electric control means energized responsive toa condition remote from the device.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated andv described it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that various changes and modiilcations may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention -or from the scope of theappended claims.

We claim: l. In a liquid flow control device of the constant level type.a casing receiving a flow oi' liquid, a valve metering the ilow ofliquid into the casing, a valve metering the ilow of liquid out ot thecasing, both the valves being urged toward open position, a platemounted in the casing, control means carried by the plate. a leal springmounted on the plate and adjustable to transmit the action of thecontrol means to both valves, and means for adjusting the springposition to limit the action thereof on the inlet valve until theoccurence of predetermined conditions.

2. In a liquid ilow control device of the constant level type having acasing receiving a controlled ilow of liquid, a valve controlling theflow of liquid out of the casing, a plate pivotally mounted on thecasing for movement to vary the opening of the valve, manually operablemeans for varying the position of the plate, electrically energizedmeans for varying the position of the plate, and means for matching theaction of the 8 electrically 'energized means to the movement ot themanually operable means.

3. In a liquid ilow control device of the constant level type having acasing receiving a controlled flow 0i liquid, a valve controlling theilow of liquid out of the casing, a plate pivotally mounted on thecasing for movement to vary the opening of the valve, manually operablemeans forvarying the position of the plate, electrically energized meansfor varying the position of the plate, a lever mounted in the casing,for adjustment to limit the opening of the valve, and a screw mounted inthe plate for engagement with the lever for matching the action of theelectrically energized means to the movement of the manually operablemeans.

4. In a liquid ilow control device of the constant level type, a casingreceiviri'g a now o1 liquid, a valve metering the iow oi' liquid intothe casing, a valve metering the flow of liquid out of the casing. boththe valves being urged toward open position, a plate mounted in thecasing. control means carried by the plate, a leaf spring mounted on theplate and adjustable to transmit the action of the control means to bothvalves. and means for adjusting the spring position to limit the actionthereof on the inlet valve until the occurrence of predeterminedconditions, said plate being pivotally mounted in the casing formovement into an inactive position to expose the valves withoutdisturbing the relationship oi the plaie, spring, and the adjusting andcontrol mw- 5. In a liquid flow control device, a casing having a floatcontrolled inlet valve metering iiow into the casing, an outlet valvebiased to its open position and adapted to meter flow from the casing, alever pivoted in the casing acting on the outlet valve and movablebetween upper and lower'limit stops determinative of the maximum andminimum outlet flow, manually operable control means normally regulatingmovement of the lever between the limits, and means mounted on the leverand responsive to valve closing movement beyond the normal range tosimultaneously close both valves.

VERNON R. PAWELSKY. LOURDES V. McCARTY. WILLIAM A. BIERMANN. JOHN T.DULAK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date .2,145,446 Johnson Jan. 31, 19392,183,815 Johnson Dec. 19, 1939 2,199,538 Curry May '1, 1940 2,293,903Johnson Aug. 25, 1942 2,358,040 Williams Sept. 12, 1944 2,405,126 BatesAug. 8, 1946

